The Toy Smuggler of Aleppo

ABOUT

The Toy Smuggler

Biography

Five years ago, Adham first embarked on an international mission to bring food, medicine, and water to families affected by the Syrian Civil War in Aleppo, a city near the Syrian-Turkish border. He only planned on transporting essential items until his daughter Jasmin insisted on donating her toys to the children in need.

Adham carried 25 teddy bears and 36 Barbie dolls on that first trip. "We'd brought food, but when we started giving away the toys, it created a huge fuss. Kids were coming from all over. I realized they weren't thinking about food — they just wanted a toy."

Since then, Adham has traveled to Aleppo once every two months (28 times in total), bringing dozens of toys — and immeasurable amounts of joy — with him. Each time, he carries about 175 pounds of donated toys across the Syrian-Turkish border, earning him the nickname 'The Toy Smuggler of Aleppo'.

Going through "unofficial ways," he's continued to deliver toys to Syrian children and transport money used to buy food, medicine, and other essentials once inside Syria. During this year's month of Ramadan, he gave 700 toys to children living in a refugee camp near the northern town of Atmeh.

Rami will keep continue to deliver toys, food and medicine to the children of Syria. His official charity (established in Finland) ensures that all the money Rami raises goes directly to children most in need. You can find out more about the charity here: http://ssyrelief.fi/en/